Door locking mechanism for hopper car doors



June 9, 1953 G. B. DOREY D003 LOCKING MECHANISM FOR HOPPER CAR DOORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1947 Q Q mm, M

mix Em June 9, 1953 G. B. DOREY DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM FOR HOPPER CAR DOORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

June 9, 1953 G. B. DOREY nooR LOCKING MECHANISM FOR HOPPER CAR DooRs 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 File'd' May .1 1947 Ill-I'll llly IN VE N 70/? in-Fig. '7 "as detached from the car -st'r Patented June 9, 1953 UNITED ti -AI 'I E'NT OFF 1' CE 2,641,199 D603 LOCKING MECHANISM FUR iIOf'PER CAR DOORS 'George Billet Dorcy, Westn'ioun't, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Enterprise-Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., acorperation-of Illinois AppIicaticin May I, 1947, Serial No. 745,268

I Mir-invention relates *to improvements in-d'oor docking mechanism for h'opr' er car doors.

Que ofthe' o'ojects of rn-y invention is to pro- "tide an improved latching mechanism for a hopper car doo'rof the vertically suspended type, land is "particularly relatedto that type'of door 'in which the latch is centrally disposed, and wherein the operation ofthelatchis effected from a location adjacent 'a side edge of the door through the medium'of an operating shaft.

It is also an object'of my invention to provide 'a preliminary locking means to hold the door in partly closed position and to so adapt the various parts that the door may he wedged to "a fully closed position '-by rotation of the door operating shaft.

My invention also contemplates an improved 'stru'c'atur'e wherein the latching mechanism will be'ieadi-ly operated loya 'rernovablebar which will provide for safety and *multi-plied leverage.

Another particular object of my inventionis to provide an improved type of counterbalanced latching device wherein the counterbalancing "weight will beusefully employed-in the operation of the latch.

My-invention-further resides in certain other features of construction and detail of parts such as willbernore fully pointed out hereinafte'r and claimed.

iblaim. (01105-308) For further comprehension of my invention,

reference maybe had to-the accompanying drawin'g's wherein: w

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through a hopper having my improved -ly-a view ;of -theystructure shown in said Fig. '4: as 'viewed-fro mright to I left,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional"viw talieniih aline 6'--6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 i an enlarged '1 lo'ng'itudihal sid'e "elevational-view of the-lower-portion of thesid'e oiftlie v ghopper specifically-illustrating the outer bearing *for the operating sh'aft. H

-Fig.-8 isanenlarged viewof thee 'tiii'g shown t'uifeand may be regarded as aview of-tlie casting shown in Fig. '7 as viewed from right to left.

structure incorporated therein, said view show 2 Fig. 9 is a detached side "elevational view of the latch element.

"Fig. "10 is a'top'horizontal view of the latch shown in -Fi'g. 9.

Fig. 11 -is 'a transverse sectional vertical view taken through the lower portion of the hopper and showing on anenlarged scale an alternative construction of the latch element wherein the shoulder on the latch is made'as'a plane surface instead of being of 'arcuate shape.

Referring new to the drawings. My invention is illustrated as being embodied in a hopper car of theso called W type-inwhich the hoppers-exten'd below the'center-sill and are arranged on each side thereof in transverselyalignedrelation. The drawings illustrate the structure onone side 'of thecentersillonly.

In Fig. 1 the centersill'structure-is illustrated by one of the=beam members It and includes a vertical -web =ll, a top inwardly directed flange "fl and-a'l'ower-outstanding flange It. The hopper oneach sideof the centersill is'defined by upper andlowersloping floors i i-and 15 respectively, ahd by inner and outerside sheets 16 and i1 respectively, said last named sloping downwardly and inwardly. The inner and outer sheets and the bottom sloping floor are surrounded by a"-1 einforcing frame A which includes a stirrup like portion mot-substantially T shape cross secticn. -Said frameA'includes a wall is which overlies thehoppersheets and an outstanding s't'em ii]. The upper-portion of the frame in- -cludes a-horizontally extending member 2| which ic-of angle shape with oneflange 22 underlying "the upper sloping fioor and the other fian'g'e 2'3 defining-the upper boundary of the hopper'op'eneng.

The'top'member of'the frame isprotid'ed'with hinge butts i i-2t which support a discharge door B. saiddoer Bincludes a-b'ody'plate'p'ortien -2-5- and is-formed at its margins with upwarddy extending flanges 2t. 21, "2'8 and 23 thereby providing a pan shaped door. Said door is'provided with strap hinges 3t whereby the door'is supported from the-hinge-butts by hingepins trally disposed between the ends of the door is a shouldered latching element 36. Said element is formed with a hub portion 31 and extending therefrom in spaced relation are arms 3838. An integrally formed web 39 is located between the hub and pair of arms and operates to rigidify the member.

Adjacent its outer or swinging edge the latch member is provided with a door supporting shoulder 4'] extending between the pair of arms and extending around the outer portion of said latch to embrace the arms and shoulder is a wall 4|. Disposed in the angle presented by the shoulder 40 and the wall 4| is a triangular shaped wall 42 disposed to extend in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the latch element. Said wall is of appreciabl thickness and is extended outwardly beyond the shoulder in order to present a secondary shoulder 43 disposed at a greater distance from the axis of the shaft than the main shoulder to thereby support the door in a 'partly open position.

-44, said section operating as a wedge to force The main shoulder 40 and the secondary shoulder 43 are connected by an inclined wall section the door to closed position from the partly closed position by rotation of the latch element aswill be hereinafter explained.

Operation of the latch mechanism is effected by means of a lever E non-rotatably mounted on the end of the shaft 33. Said lever extends outwardly from the axis of the shaft in a direction opposite to the latch element and operates as a counterbalancing weight adapted to force the latch element upwardly into operative latching position. Said lever is formed with a portion adjacent the shaft which swings at right angles to the shaft axis and co-operable with said 'portion is a pivoted locking cam 45 having an eccentrically disposed wedging surface 46 adapted to register with surface 41 on the lever.

Said

'cam is provided with an operating handle 48 whereby the cam may be used for forcing the lever downwardly. At its outer end, the lever is provided with a laterally projecting lug 49 of substantial weight and of rugged construction, said lug being for the purpose of receiving a remer.

the upwardly sloping sid sheets of the hopper structure, the lever is bent outwardly as indicated at 50.

For the purpose of guiding the lever E and the cam 45 during movement of same, said members are confined between spaced walls 5| and 52, said wall 5| being formed integrally with the outer bearing 34, the latter being extended outwardly beyond the sloping, bottom floor to provide a substantial support for the overhanging portion of the shaft. The bearing member preferably consists of a casting having an angle shaped body construction formed of walls 53 and 54 and lying in the angle presented by walls I9 and 20 of the T-shaped frame. The upper wall 53 is extended upwardly into overlying relation with the curved portion of the door frame as indicated at 55. The guiding wall 5| is spaced outwardly from the attaching wall 55 and is braced relatively thereto by a web 56. Said wall 5| is so disposed as to present a surface extending in a plane normal to the axis of the shaft and the outer wall 52 which overlies the lever and cam is parallel to said inner wall. The outer wall preferably consists of a strap like body plate having an integrally formed lower spacing boss 57 operating as a stop to limit downward movement of the lever E. Outwardly of the plate 52 at the upper portion thereof there is provided a laterally extending projection 58 which constitutes a fulcrum for an operating bar and which may be conveniently used in co-operation with the laterally extending projection on the lever for either closing or opening the door. The plate 52 is secured in position by a rivet 59 extending through the boss 51 and at the upper portion of the plate by a rivet 60 extending through the projection 58 and through a ferrule 6| and the inner plate 5|, said ferrule constituting a spacing means and being the supporting pivot for the cam 45.

An important feature of my improved construction resides in the arrangement of the operating lever E' and the means for operating the same. The provision of a lever of greater length than the latch element combined with the concentration of weight adjacent the end of the long lever operates to maintain the latch element in operative latching relation. Displacement of the latch from its normal position by movement of the door is effected by contact between the door and the forwardly projecting runway 62 on the latch element.

The seating member D which co-operates with the latch element for retaining the door in closed position is preferably a cast member which includes a body portion conforming to the shape of the lower portion of the door. Said body section includes a flang 63 underlying the upstanding flange 26 of the door and angularly related walls 64 and 65 lying in the angle formed by the body plate of the door and the outstanding reinforcing wall 32. The said walls 63, 64' and 65 are secured to the body of the door by rivets as indicated at 66. The angularly related walls 64 and 65 are braced relatively to each other by bracing ribs 61. That portion of the seating member which is actually embraced by the latch projection 10 extending through a cutaway portion II in the door flange 26, said projection being for the purpose of engaging the inclined runway 62 of the latch element and thereby displace the latter sufficiently to allow the edge of the door to pass over the latch. Extending between the tip of the projection 10 and the lower tip of the arcuate shaped seat 69 a runway 12 is provided for riding the outer edge of wall 42 of the latch element.

By forming the seat 69 of arcuate shape as indicated it will be apparent that considerable angular variation in the position of the latch may be permitted without destroying the locking security. The extent of this angular variationis indicated in Fig. 9 by radial lines 73 and 14 as it will be seen that the line of thrust may be through any radial line between these two extremes.

While I have shown the shoulder of the latch element as of arcuate formation corresponding to the'shape of the contour of the seat on the door, it will be understood that the main shoulder on the latch may be a plane surface as indicated in Fig. 11 at 15.

In actual production of my improved structure the bearing members are welded to the frame A and in this manner the door and frame with the associated mechanism are assembled in a unit structure which can then be applied on the car as a self contained unit. In this structure such rivets as are indicated at "I6, 77 and 18 are for the purpose of attaching the frame to the hopper walls.

I have indicated in Fig. 2 by conventional dot and dash lines the manner in which a removable bar 79 is employed to operate the latch element in a door closing direction. As will be noted the bar rests on fulcrum 49 of the lever and reacts against fulcrum 58 on the car structure. In the opening operation of the door the same laterally extending projections are employed except that the bar is then inserted above fulcrum 58 and below projection 49.

Assuming that the parts are positioned as in Fig. 2 with the door in closed position, the door opening operation is carried out in the following manner; the cam 45 is first released being swung to an overbalanced position out of the path of the lever E. A removable bar is then inserted between the laterally extending projections 58 and 49 and the lever E swung upwardly thereby swinging the latch element downwardly and releasing the door. The lever E by reason of its weight and length then operates to overbalance the latch element and restore the latter to operative latching position.

The closing operation of the door is effected manually by swinging the door to closed position. As the door swings upwardly the kicking projection 70 and surface 12 on the door engage the runway 42 on the latch member thereby displacing the latter downwardly until such time as the secondary shoulder 43 engages with the seating surface 69 on the door and the latter is then retained in the partially closed position as indicated in Fig. 3. The operator then positions the bar '19 between the respective lateral projections as indicated in Fig. 2 and downward movement of the bar and lever operates to force the door closed by means of the wedging inclined surface 44 along the seating face 69, said movement being continued until th main shoulder 40 is well engaged with seat 69.

The final locking operation is completed by swinging the pivoted locking cam 45 into engagement with the lever E, said member due to the provision of an eccentrically formed face '47 and an operating handle 48 being capable of exerting considerable force to complete the latching operation.

In a device of the character described wherein force is transmitted through an operating shaft there is a possibility of a certain amount of lagging between the latch and operating lever due to springing of the parts or twisting of the shaft and in this respect my invention compensates for any irregularities. As previously indicated there can be an angular variation between the limits of lines 73 and 7'4 and the latch will still be self locking.

While I have shown one embodiment of my invention the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all modifications coming within the scope of the claim appended hereto.

What I claim is:

In a railway car hopper structure including a sloping bottom wall and a discharge door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper part of the hopper, in combination, latching mechanism for retaining said door in closed position comprising a seat member depending centrally from the lower edge of said door, a shaft rockably mounted on the underside of said wall, and a latch arm fast on said shaft and extending therefrom to overlie said lower edge of said door when the same is closed and having a pair of spaced walls with a shoulder therebetween, said walls straddling said seat member and said shoulder engaging the same to hold said door closed.

GEORGE BINET DOREY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,105,948 Wright Aug. 4, 1914 1,327,079 Bowden Jan. 6, 1920 1,584,841 Campbell et al May 18, 1926 1,612,223 Robinson Dec. 28, 1926 1,809,850 Hosceit June 16, 1931 1,861,152 Campbell May 31, 1932 1,886,788 Campbell Nov. 8, 1932 1,977,838 Wine Oct. 23, 1934 1,997,704 Tatum Apr. 16, 1935 2,482,516 Sheesley Sept. 20, 1949 

